Isaac Ombe, Yenagoa.
The Bayelsa State Government is shutting down the Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps
set up following the devastating flood which ravaged many communities in the state and made the people’s homes uninhabitable.
The government shut the Ox-Bow Lake Pavilion camp with a church service last Saturday and gave two thousand naira each to victims as transport fare back to their various homes.
The stipend came as a result of pressure from most of the IDPs who demanded some funds and raw food items to go home with and start life again.
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The previous evening, some items including spaghetti, rice, tomatoes, sugar, toothpaste, and detergents were shared with the people.
But many of the IDPs demanded transport fares, insisting that they would not leave the camp if they had no money to pay for their homeward journey.
Some of the victims who spoke with The Nigerian Xpress also said they were reluctant to leave the camps because they were scared to start life after leaving homes for weeks without food or money.
The closing church service which was conducted by Reverend Samuel Abili urged the flood victims not to see the flood challenges as the end of life.
The cleric appealed to them to take the disaster as the beginning of new things to come as they go back home. He also urged them to see God in all that had happened.
In her remarks, Koku Obiyai, the commandant of the camp thanked Governor Douye Diri for making the IDP camps available to take care of the flood victims and for providing all their needs. She said the gesture showed the governor’s magnanimity and commitment to the plight of the displaced persons.
“The governor in his wisdom provided the Ox-Bow lake pavilion as a camp. Since then, we have been managing the victims and giving them the best we can.
“We have been feeding them twice a day. Many have made friends, some would even meet their helpers here. The governor has tried his best.
Koku Obiyai who is also the majority leader of the state House of Assembly noted that “the flood came as a big challenge and we have a governor who stood by the victims throughout the period.
“History will have him as a leader that stood by the people when they faced lots of challenges”.
Answering a question shortly before the final sharing of food and two thousand naira transport fare, the camp commandant said, “Some have started carrying their property home while few are still around waiting to be assisted.
We also feed other camps like the Ayama-Ijaw and Igbogene camps which will be formally closed on Sunday.
“We also feed our nursing mothers, about eleven of them who gave birth are at the Gold Coast Foundation”.
While justifying the church service and praising God for not recording outbreaks of epidemics and other major ailments among the flood victims, she said medical outreach was at hand to attend to those with health challenges.
“All these made us thank God and organised a church service to formally close the camp.
“Thousands of people staying together, we didn’t have any epidemic or cholera, malaria, etc, that is why we have to thank God… When they quarrelled we settle them, and we became lawyers and judges. It was a wonderful experience”.
Further recalling her experiences with the flood victims, the lawmaker said, “Sometimes the children would come and say they want to dance for us, cultural dances.
“I also observed, we have many talents that are yet to be harnessed. You see small girls twisting their waists with cultural dances…There is also a drama group that performed to entertain IDPs.
She explained that some of them were not willing to leave the camps because most of them were overwhelmed by the food, the conditions of living and the new friends made in the camps.
“Some of them are not willing to go. If you see the food we prepare here. Sometimes it is far better than the ones they prepared at home, even as this camp is, they preferred here to their homes because here is far better.
On how women who gave birth were taken care of, she explained, “When I hear a woman has delivered, we take them to Gold Coast Foundation where they are taken care of”.
In an interview with some of the flood victims who opened up about why they are reluctant to leave the camp, lack of money and food items to start a new life back home were their reasons.
“We need money, and rice to go and start life again.
“They are telling us to go, where do we get money to take care of ourselves as we go home.
“We want the government to help us with some money and food items,” Helen Olowo who appeared downcast.
“They suppose to give us little packages and raw food to go home with so we can start life afresh,” another victim demanded.
Answering a question from journalists, the camp commandant said, “Whatever we can give as a way of transporting them back home we will do it. The rest will be taken care of by the flood committee”.
The crowd was finally moved to the gate of the camp where they were given a parting gift of a plate of food and two thousand naira as transport fare back to their homes.
Some of the victims who have high hopes for monetary packages recalled the millions donated by individuals and organisations in the name of flood victims. They questioned where the monies were kept.
“The millions donated in the name of flood victims, where is the money?
“I thought of getting not less than 50000 as I go home”, Wilcox Amalaa a victim who spoke the minds of many.
All top government officials including the governor, the chairman of the flood Taskforce Committee, SEMA Chairman amongst others were absent at the closing ceremony.
Unconfirmed sources said their absence was a result of anticipated fears of massive protests by the flood victims.
